It’s springtime again, and we’re all readying for fawns. But spring also means it’s time for the Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association (PDFA) to prepare for our annual advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., to push for policies that advance the sustainability of the cervid industry. Pennsylvania is home to more cervid farmers than any other state in the nation. The PDFA has embraced this responsibility, serving as a leading voice in advocating for sound cervid industry policies in the Commonwealth and nationwide. “Our continued interactions developing relationships federally play a key role in the preservation of the cervid industry,” said Glenn Dice Understanding this importance, the PDFA has funded trips to the North American Deer Farmers Association (NADEFA) Fly-In in Washington, D.C., for over a decade, and these trips remain critical to our industry’s future.
In years past, I’ve written this legislative trip update to share what we did in Washington, D.C. This year, I’m changing things up a bit to provide more detail about the issues we’re advocating for and why they matter to us.
In April 2025, PDFA President Josh Newton and Past President Glenn Dice attended the four-day NADEFA Washington, D.C., Fly-In. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is always a hot topic in our meetings, but we also take the opportunity to educate policy groups, congressional staff, and members of Congress about what our industry does and the impact we have on our local, state, and national communities.
Our two main objectives this year were maintaining level funding for the national Cervid Health Program and pushing for seed-level funding for the CWD Research and Management Act. Both programs can provide funding to combat CWD, but the CWD Research and Management Act addresses limitations in the Cervid Health Program, which I’ll explain later in this article. Understanding these two priorities helps frame our meeting agenda.
As in previous years, Monday’s agenda included meetings with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF). The USDA oversees the national Cervid Health Program, which sets standards for disease surveillance and movement requirements that states must follow to enable interstate commerce in the cervid industry. “The Cervid Health Program is currently funded at $17.5 million annually, split between stakeholder, conservation, and tribal nation affiliates,” a USDA representative noted. These funds support CWD indemnity initiatives, research projects, educational outreach, diagnostic tool development, surveillance, and state grants. In Pennsylvania, you may be familiar with grants supporting animal testing for CWD Genomic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBV), GEBV stock improvement, and better animal identification projects. By engaging with the USDA, we ensure our industry has a voice in shaping these regulations. If we don’t show up, the USDA mainly hears from conservation groups that may oppose our industry or push for tougher rules.
This year, it’s more critical than ever to be seen and heard. Many federal employees have taken the administration’s buyout offer, leading to staff shortages that will limit what the USDA can tackle. “USDA shared that staff shortages are one of their greatest concerns for all agriculture sectors this coming year,” Josh Newton reported. Thanks to our years of raising concerns about CWD’s impact on our industry, the USDA assured us that CWD remains a top priority. I tell my wife all the time that her wish list is a top concern for me. That doesn’t mean I always get everything done, but it means we’re both aware and working together to address it. Similarly, “Every single person which places a call to their elected members has an impact,” Newton stressed. If you’re unsure about the issues, don’t hesitate to call PDFA leadership—we’re here to help you feel confident before reaching out to your representatives.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) represents a broad community of sportsmen and women, including those involved in recreational, non-hunting activities. Finding common ground with the CSF is vital, as the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus is the largest bipartisan caucus on Capitol Hill. The farmed cervid industry, CSF, and other conservation-based non-governmental organizations worked together to pass the CWD Research and Management Act into law in 2022. Authorized for up to $70 million, this act has yet to receive congressional funding. When funded, the USDA would distribute these dollars to support efforts to combat CWD.
Let’s dive into the differences between the Cervid Health Program and the CWD Research and Management Act. First, both fund CWD research, but private companies can’t access grants through the Cervid Health Program. “Can the government by itself solve all our disease-related concerns? Should the government be expected to provide all scientific breakthroughs?” asked Glenn Dice. “If the private sector has a new approach of how to identify or combat CWD, why would we not want to foster those potential disease-solving discoveries?” Second, CWD is a slow-progressing disease, and research can take years. The Cervid Health Program provides funding for one year, with a possible one-year extension, which may not be enough for long-term projects. Third, the largest grant from the Cervid Health Program is $250,000, but some multi-year CWD research projects exceed this limit. The CWD Research and Management Act addresses all three issues, offering more flexible funding to accelerate solutions. I’m not knocking the Cervid Health Program—it’s valuable—but “If we can possibly accelerate discoveries which could limit CWD’s impact in either the farmed deer or wild deer communities, we should absolutely pursue them,” Dice concluded.
The PDFA’s continued funding of these trips to the NADEFA Fly-In is critical. Without them, we risk losing our voice in Washington, D.C., where decisions affecting our industry’s future are made. Your support ensures we can keep showing up, building relationships, and advocating for policies that protect and advance the cervid industry.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Key Takeaways
•Advocacy is Essential: The PDFA’s participation in the NADEFA Fly-In ensures the cervid industry’s voice shapes federal policies, and funding these trips is critical to maintaining that presence.
•CWD Focus: The PDFA is advocating for sustained Cervid Health Program funding and seed funding for the CWD Research and Management Act to address gaps in combating CWD.
•Collaboration Builds Strength: Partnerships with groups like the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation bolster bipartisan support for cervid industry initiatives.
•Your Voice Matters: Every call to elected officials amplifies our impact, and PDFA leadership is ready to support members in understanding the issues.
Respectfully,
Glenn Dice & Josh Newton
